BCA steps upefforts to grow grassroot cricket

Teichler Rankoa | Wednesday December 11, 2013 15:02

In line with this, BCA held a two-day schools mini-cricket development workshop at Tshesebe over the weekend.

The workshop focused on grassroots development in a bid to increase the number of schools, children and coaches involved in cricket.

Ramakrishna told Mmegi Sport that they want to develop talent among young and aspiring cricket players in the northern part of the country.

He said such focus have produced good results as exemplified by the performance of players like Shamelaah Mosweu, Thapelo Modise, Ditsala Bodutu and Leungo Tanke who are now internationals.

“It is important for us to catch them while they are still as young as five years when most of them are still at primary schools,” stressed Ramakrishna.

He said after identifying the children, they train them on the basics of cricket so that they grow loving the game.

He was pleased that over 200 pupils attended the workshop. “This programme is about fun, but we need to ensure that we continue to groom future young players in the processs,” he explained.

He said some of the children saw a cricket ball for the first time and have a feel of the bat.

During the two-day event, Ramakrishna said children split into four groups that played against each other in mini cricket games that included ‘rapid fire, ‘pair’s cricket’ and ‘continuous cricket’.

 “They really enjoyed the competition of scoring runs, taking wickets, hitting, chasing and throwing balls and above all grasped a few cricket language-terms in the process,” he said.

Ramakrishna thanked all the teachers who took part, saying that without them, the event could not have been successful.